SARAS Communications has been organising Sur Sanjeevini annually with music maestros. They have been raising resources for NGOs through music.
This year the proceeds will go towards the Rotary Shankara Park, which has taken up the ‘Happy School Project’.
This year’s edition of Sur Sanjeevini will feature a jugalbandi with Carnatic strains featuring Sikkil Gurucharan with traditional bandishes by Balwant Singh Namdhari, who will present gharanas such as Talwandi, Jaipur and Banaras.
Both musicians will be accompanied by Pandit Yogesh Samsi on the tabla, Dr Ravindra Katoti on harmonium, Vidwan Jayachandra Rao on mridanga, Charulatha Ramanujam on violin and Giridhar Udupa on ghata.
“I have performed a couple of shows with Balwant and what struck me most was his enthusiasm to try something more,” says Sikkil, known for his experimental persona.
Songs and phrases will be presented in both genres but what Sikkil and Balwant will bring about in the finale is what their Jugalbandi has come to be known for.
“We may have the spirit of the same individual stylised notes, but our coming together for a finish is a detailed segment where we both get out of our comfort zones to get the audience realise that music is after all universal,” explains Gurucharan.
Take, for example the Kanakadasa kriti “Nee MaayaYolage” in Keeravani, or a Bandish in Todi and Gurjari Todi, or the famous “Krishna Nee Begane Baro” where the two experiment with gusto.
For a seamless blend, says Balwant, his traditional bhajan formatting comes to the fore given the choice of kritis. “I have also learnt a Kannada poem/pada, which I will present to the Kannada audience,” beams Balwant.
As for Giridhar Udupa, Jayachandra Rao and Yogesh Samsi, their percussion segment is a specially worked out piece to suit the mood.
“Although this is the first time the three of us will be coming together, we plan to create a special beat which will suit both the maestros’ voices, apart from having our impromptu passages,” signs off Udupa.
The venue for the event will be the Chowdiah Memorial Hall on September 2, at 6.30 pm.